Boozy Starters to Rock Your Next Party!

Nothing like a dash of liquor to add oomph to your starters!  

1. Bruschetta with Lime and Vodka Prawns

Ingredients

• Medium prawns – 1kg
• Lime juice – ¼ cup
• Vodka – ¾ cup
• Baguette – 24 slices
• Olive oil – ½ cup
• Garlic – 5 cloves, sliced thinly
• Spring onions – 2, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lime zest and parsley to garnish

Method

1. Toast or grill slices of bread brushed with 2 tbsp olive oil till golden. Set aside.
2. In a medium pan, sauté garlic and spring onions in 4 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat till lightly golden.
3. Add the prawns and sauté till both sides are bright pink, 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
4. Reduce lime juice and vodka by 2/3 over high heat.
5. Add prawns to the sauce and cook for just a couple of minutes. Season well.

To assemble

1. Lay the slices of baguette on a serving platter.
2. On the slices, place a prawn each with a tbsp of the vodka sauce.
3. Garnish with parsley and the greens of the onions.

2. Tequila Salsa

Ingredients

• Tomato – 2 cups, deseeded
• Coriander/cilantro – ½ cup
• Avocado – 1 (medium), peeled and chopped
• Onion – 2 (medium), chopped
• Tequila – 3 tbsp
• Lime juice – 2 tbsp
• Garlic – 3 cloves, minced/grated
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients and toss like you would any salad. Serve cold with nachos or crackers.
2. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.

3. Whisky Peanut Butter

Ingredients

• Peanuts (raw) – 2 ½ cups
• Good quality whisky/bourbon – 3 tbsp
• Vanilla extract – 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon – ½ tsp (optional)
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees C.
2. Grill peanuts on a tray with baking paper or parchment for 5-8 minutes or till you can smell the nuts.
3. In a food processor or blender, grind the warm peanut butter for ½ a minute to 1 minute.
4. Add the whisky/bourbon, salt and vanilla to the mixture and grind until the mix begins to liquefy.
5. Grind long enough to get the desired texture (smooth/crunchy).
6. Taste before transferring the peanut butter to a sterile glass jar.
7. Serve with bruschetta, crackers or crudités.
8. Add chili powder for an added kick

4. Rich Chocolate Rum Balls

Ingredients

• Chocolate cake – 600g, crumbled
• Rum – ½ cup
• Condensed milk – 200g
• Instant coffee powder – 1 tbsp
• Cocoa – 1 tbsp
• Hot water – ¼ cup
• Dark chocolate – 600g
• Chocolate sprinkles – 2 cups

Method

1. In a bowl, add the fine cake crumbs.
2. Mix the cocoa and coffee in another bowl with the hot water.
3. Add the cocoa paste to the crumbs.
4. Add the rum and then the condensed milk.
5. Mix well.
6. Refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour at least.
7. Once cool, Roll 1½ tsp of the mixture into balls.
8. Melt the chocolate on low heat.
9. Dip each ball into the melted chocolate and shake off excess.
10. Roll the rum balls in the chocolate sprinkles.
11. Place each rum ball in small patty paper cases.
12. Refrigerate till ready to serve.

5. Beer Batter Fish

Ingredients

• Plain Flour – 50 g
• Cornflour – 50g
• Baking powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric – for color
• Beer – 75ml
• Plain soda – 75ml
• Basa or any white fish – 400g, cut into sticks or squares
• Sunflower oil – 1 liter
• Salt to taste

Method

1. In a large bowl, sift and mix the dry ingredients. (Set aside 2 tbsp).
2. Add the beer and soda to the dry ingredients.
3. Mix till the batter is lump-free.
4. Allow it to rest for ½ hour.
5. Heat the oil in a deep sauce pan or fryer. The oil is ready when a drop of the batter becomes crisp almost immediately.
6. Dip the fish into the dry mix that was set aside.
7. Shake excess off and dip in the beer batter.
8. Depending on the thickness of the fish, fry the fish for 7-8 minutes until golden crisp.
9. Place the fish on napkins to remove any excess oil.
10. Season with salt.
11. Serve hot.

6. Baileys Fudge

Ingredients

• Condensed milk – 1 can
• Butter – 95g, cubed
• Brown sugar – 240g
• Golden syrup – 2 tbsp
• Dark chocolate – 150g, finely chopped
• Baileys/Kahlua – 60ml

Method

1. In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients, except for the liqueur and stir on medium to low heat.
2. Once the sugar dissolves, raise the heat to medium-high.
3. Stirring constantly for 10 to 12 minutes, the mixture will start to pull away from the sides.
4. Remove from heat and pour onto a tray lined with baking parchment.
5. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
6. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate.

 7. Whisky Marinade

Ingredients

• Brown sugar – 1/3 cup
• Whisky – ½ cup
• Soy sauce – ¼ cup
• Olive oil – ¼ cup
• Garlic powder – ½ tsp
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Choice of meat (pork, chicken or beef)

Method

1. Mix sugar with the whisky.
2. Add olive oil.
3. To the mix, add the remaining ingredients.
4. Marinade the meat of your choice in an airtight container.
5. Shake the container to evenly coat the meat.
6. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours before cooking.
7. Add chili powder to spice it up.

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